John 15:13 English Standard Version (ESV) Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

If Christ had not laid down His life for us as friends we would never have become family. We could not become “blood of my blood” without His blood being shed. This adoption into the family of God cannot happen without the blood of Christ covering our sins.

When God looks at us now He only sees the blood of His Son. Our sins are hidden from His sight.

Exodus 26:14 English Standard Version (ESV) And you shall make for the tent a covering of tanned rams’ skins and a covering of goatskins on top.

God exampled the covering sacrifice in the construction of the wilderness tabernacle. God would not enter into the Holy of Holies without it to commune with Moses. God would go before Israel in the cloud by day and the fire at night but would not enter into communion without the covering sacrifice.

Ezekiel 28:13 English Standard Version (ESV) You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings.On the day that you were created they were prepared.

They were there all along but we did not know what was lost to us until God explained it to us. We could not see the covering for what it was until after it was lost to us and we became outcasts.

Restoration of the cover takes more than just being a gracious gift from God. It took sacrifice, the covering of a more perfect love. We could not receive a love that great without seeing the sacrifice that was made.

1 John 4:19 English Standard Version (ESV) We love because he first loved us.

Psalm 71:13 English Standard Version (ESV) May my accusers be put to shame and consumed; with scorn and disgrace may they be covered who seek my hurt.

Yesterday I ended with what some might rightly call an accusation. “What do we place before God?” Let it be known that I place myself among the “we”. I have placed “things” before God. I am not ashamed to confess the truth of it. None of us are perfect.

So what is the difference between asking a question for which life has demonstrated a human frailty and an accusation? Accusations do not come in the form of a question. They are stated a fact whether it be true or not.

Luke 15:2 English Standard Version (ESV) And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

At the core of this accusation is the charge of being different. The Pharisees and scribes would never do that so if Jesus does that it shines a spotlight on their own behavior. It puts their behavior to question.

My question from yesterday is one of introspection. It is not for me to say what is in any heart, only to ask if we have ever looked at our own behavior in comparison to what Jesus did during His ministry.

No one expect us to be perfect in performance. What is expected is growth, a maturing, and an awareness of how our attitudes and behaviors reflect upon our relationship with our Lord and fellow believers.

If one were to be convicted by the Holy Spirit by a word written and spoken, the author is God and should be accepted with humility. Should be does not always take the form of instant change. Often times we need to examine our rationale for those conditions. There may be a deeper underlying problem that is only seen thru those feelings of being attacked.

Love endures all things is not instinctual.